Bowed nozzle vane with selective TBC

ABSTRACT

A turbine nozzle includes outer and inner bands between which extend a plurality of vanes for channeling combustion gases. Each of the vanes includes leading and trailing edges, and pressure and suction sides extending therebetween, and also a bow along the trailing edge to increase pressure in the gases adjacent the inner band. The vanes also include a thermal barrier coating (TBC) selectively disposed solely along the suction side between the leading and trailing edges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and,more specifically, to high pressure turbine nozzles.

In a typical turbofan aircraft gas turbine engine, air is pressurized ina multistage axial compressor, mixed with fuel in a combustor, andignited for generating hot combustion gases which flow downstreamthrough a high pressure (HP) turbine nozzle which turns and acceleratesthe gases for energy extraction therefrom in downstream high pressureturbine rotor blades. The gases then flow through a low pressure turbinewhich extracts additional energy for powering a fan to producepropulsion thrust for powering the aircraft in flight. The manycomponents disposed in the flowpath of the hot combustion gases areheated thereby and must be suitably protect therefrom.

For example, thermal barrier coating (TBC) is a ceramic material havingvarious conventional compositions which may be applied in thin layersatop the various components for providing thermal protection thereof.The TBC may be conventionally applied using plasma spray techniques orphysical vapor deposition.

The TBC provides a barrier between the hot combustion gases and theunderlying metal of the specific components and provides thermalinsulation for reducing the maximum temperature experienced by thecomponent for improving the useful life thereof in the engine.

Since the TBC is a ceramic material it is also relatively brittlecompared to the underlying metal substrate, and therefore, its integrityand corresponding durability is in large part determined by the strengthand operating experience of the underlying component. For example, theHP turbine nozzle vanes receive the hottest temperature combustion gasesfrom the combustor and require corresponding protection.

Various configurations of turbine nozzle vanes have enjoyed many yearsof successful commercial use when protected with TBC. Typical nozzlevanes are radially straight and twist relative to the trailing edgesthereof for defining converging channels therebetween ending in throatsof minimum flow area through which the combustion gases are turned andaccelerated toward the turbine rotor blades.

The TBC may be applied along the suction sides of the vanes as well asalong the pressure sides exclusive of the vane throat in conventionalpractice. The nozzle throat area is a critical design parameter whichaffects the operating efficiency of the turbine and therefore the entireengine. The individual vane throat areas and the collective throat areamust be maintained within a suitable narrow tolerance for optimum engineefficiency. Since TBC is conventionally applied with a thicknesstolerance of plus or minus a few mils, this tolerance variation would beunacceptable in maintaining consistent nozzle throat area, and thereforethe TBC is not provided on the suction sides of the vanes near theleading edges which forms one boundary of the vane throat, with theother boundary being defined by the pressure side along the trailingedge of the next adjacent nozzle vane.

In a recent development enjoying successful commercial use in thiscountry for several years, a 3-D nozzle vane includes a trailing edgehaving a bow instead of being straight for increasing total pressure andmomentum in the combustion gases at the root of the vanes near theirsupporting inner bands. The 3-D vane twists about its leading edgebetween the inner and outer bands and also leans along the trailing edgeto define the bow. Three dimensional computer analysis software isavailable for defining the specific curvature and extent of the bow toincrease gas flow momentum near the inner band for improving the overallefficiency of the turbine and engine.

In order to protect the 3-D bowed vanes against the high temperatures ofthe combustion gases, the vanes have included full coverage TBC alongboth their pressure and suction sides exclusive of the vane throats. Theapplication of the TBC to the bowed nozzle vane is even more criticalthan for straight vanes since differential temperatures commonlyoccurring over the surfaces of the vane can create corresponding thermalstress and distortion therein. The bowed trailing edge, for example, isnow subject to bending loads due to its non-straight configuration, andis therefore also subject to distortion in its curvature. Since thetrailing edge defines one boundary of the vane throat, any variation inthat boundary changes the throat area which can undesirably decrease theefficiency of the turbine and the engine.

Throat area changes also alter the total pressure drop across theturbine nozzle and correspondingly increase loads in the thrust bearingwhich reacts the differential loads between the compressor and theturbine rotor.

Several years of commercial experience of the full coverage TBC 3-Dbowed turbine nozzle has shown failure in the TBC such as prematurespallation along the leading edges of the vanes.

Accordingly, it is desired to eliminate the premature failure of the TBCin the 3-D bowed nozzle vane without adversely affecting aerodynamicperformance or efficiency of the nozzle and engine, and obtaining asuitable useful life of the turbine nozzle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A turbine nozzle includes outer and inner bands between which extend aplurality of vanes for channeling combustion gases. Each of the vanesincludes leading and trailing edges, and pressure and suction sidesextending therebetween, and also a bow along the trailing edge toincrease pressure in the gases adjacent the inner band. The vanes alsoinclude a thermal barrier coating (TBC) selectively disposed solelyalong the suction side between the leading and trailing edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, in accordance with preferred and exemplary embodiments,together with further objects and advantages thereof, is moreparticularly described in the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view through a portion of a turbofanaircraft gas turbine engine including a high pressure turbine nozzledisposed downstream from a combustor and upstream from a row of turbinerotor blades in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a two-vane segment of the HP nozzleillustrated in FIG. 1 showing selectively applied TBC thereon.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the nozzle segment illustrated in FIG. 2and taken generally along line 3--3.

FIG. 4 is a top, sectional view through the nozzle segment illustratedin FIG. 2 and taken generally along line 4--4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a portion of an aircraft turbofan gas turbineengine 10 which is axisymmetrical about a longitudinal or axialcenterline axis 12. The engine includes a fan (not shown) for producingpropulsion thrust for powering an aircraft in flight.

Disposed downstream from the fan is a multistage axial compressor 14 forpressurizing air 16, which is then channeled to an annular combustor 18(only a portion of which is illustrated) wherein it is mixed with fueland ignited for generating hot combustion gases 20 which flow downstreamtherefrom.

The combustor is mounted inside an annular casing 22, and disposeddirectly downstream therefrom is a high pressure (HP) turbine nozzle 24in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thecombustion gases flow downstream through the nozzle 24 to a row of HPturbine rotor blades 26 extending radially outwardly from a supportingrotor disk which in turn is joined to the compressor 14. The turbineblades 26 extract energy from the combustion gases 20 to power thecompressor during operation.

The turbine nozzle 24 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an annular assembly ofcomponents and is axisymmetrical about the engine centerline axis 12.The nozzle includes an annular radially outer band 28 typically formedin a plurality of circumferentially adjoining arcuate segments.Similarly, the nozzle also includes an annular radially inner band 30also formed in corresponding arcuate segments. A plurality of hollowvanes 32 extend radially between the outer and inner bands and arefixedly joined thereto typically in a common casting.

As shown in FIG. 2, each nozzle segment may include twocircumferentially spaced apart vanes 32, and adjoining nozzle segmentsare suitably sealed together to form a complete row of the nozzle vanesconfigured for turning and accelerating the combustion gases toward therow of rotor blades 26 which extract energy therefrom.

Referring to both FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the vanes 32 includes axiallyspaced apart leading and trailing edges 34,36, a generally axiallyconcave pressure side 38, and a circumferentially opposite, generallyconvex suction side 40 both of which extend axially between the leadingand trailing edges. Each vane also includes a root or hub 42 fixedlyattached to the inner band 30, and a radially opposite tip 44 fixedlyjoined to the outer band.

As shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the vanes also includes a bendor bow 46 which is most pronounced along the trailing edge 36 toincrease total pressure in the combustion gases 20 adjacent the innerband 30 at the root 42 of the vanes. Typical nozzle vanes are straight,particularly along their trailing edges, and their radial span sectionshave two-dimensional (2-D) curvature for turning and accelerating thecombustion gases between adjacent vanes. The resulting combustion gasflowfield is therefore controlled only in two dimensions at each of thespan sections.

The introduction of the bow 46 in the vanes 32 adds a third controldimension to the gas flowfield which significantly improves theaerodynamic efficiency of the turbine, and therefore improves theefficiency of the entire engine.

However, since the bowed vanes are no longer straight, theysubstantially increase the complexity of the thermal performance of thevanes. Since the combustion gases are hot, thermal movement, whichincludes expansion and contraction, of the vanes during operationchanges the geometry of the vanes and causes thermally induced stressand strain. The temperature distribution over the pressure and suctionsides of each vane varies substantially during operation and introducesthermal gradients, and thermally induced stress and stress therefrom.

This type of bowed turbine nozzle vane has enjoyed limited success incommercial service in this country over several years. Such a vane hasincluded full coverage thermal barrier coating (TBC) over its pressureand suction sides except for the suction side boundary of the vanethroats. However, such experience in an actual aircraft engineenvironment has resulted in spallation of the TBC in the leading edgeregion of the vanes. This TBC spalling problem is undesirable since itreduces the durability of the HP nozzle and therefore limits its usefullife in service.

Accordingly, the present invention is an improvement for reducing oreliminating the spallation problem by including a thermal barriercoating (TBC) 48 selectively disposed solely or only along the vanesuction sides 40 between the leading and trailing edges.

As best shown in FIG. 4, adjacent ones of the vanes 32 are spaced apartcircumferentially to define corresponding throats 50 of minimum flowarea for the combustion gases to pass between the adjacent vanes. Eachthroat 50 has a first or pressure boundary 52 which extends along thepressure side 38 at the trailing edge 36, and a circumferentiallyopposite second or suction boundary 54 extending along the suction side48 adjacent the leading edge 34 of the next adjacent one of the vanes.

The throat 50 between each pair of adjacent vanes 32 is thusly definedby the minimum distance therebetween at the trailing edge 36 of one ofthe vanes and a corresponding region on the adjacent, second vane aft ofthe leading edge thereof. The vane throats 50 define the aft ends ofconverging channels between adjacent vanes through which the combustiongases 20 are accelerated and turned circumferentially toward the rotorblades 26 in a conventional manner.

In accordance with the present invention, both the first and secondthroat boundaries 52,54 are devoid of thermal barrier coating. Byeliminating the TBC from the vane pressure side 38 as shown in FIG. 4,both boundaries of the throat 50 are defined by the parent metal outersurface of the vanes, and for a given design, a slight increase in flowarea of the throats 50 is effected which has the additional advantage ofincreasing the stall margin of the upstream compressor 14.

However, the increased 3-D complexity of the bowed vanes 32 neverthelessrequires effective cooling to prevent unacceptable thermal gradientstherein and corresponding stress, strain, and distortion therefrom.

More specifically, the vanes 32 illustrated in FIG. 4 are hollow andinclude one or more impingement baffles 56 therein for channelling acooling air portion of the pressurized air 16 bled from the compressor14 as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. The impingement baffles 56are conventional in configuration and operation, and include a patternof impingement holes therein which direct the cooling air 16 through thebaffles in impingement inside the vanes for impingement cooling both thepressure and suction sides thereof from the inside. The impingementbaffles 56 provide effective cooling in the leading edge and mid-chordregions of the vanes, and the spent impingement air is then dischargedfrom the vanes in the aft direction through a row of conventionaltrailing edge discharge holes 58 in a conventional manner.

A portion of the spent impingement air is also discharged throughvarious rows of conventional film cooling holes (not shown) disposed onboth the pressure and suction sides of the vane to provide additionalvane cooling as also found in the commercially used 3-D bowed vanes.

The TBC 48 illustrated in FIG. 4 is selectively sized in thickness alongthe suction side 40 to reduce or minimize differential thermal movement,or expansion and contraction, between the pressure and suction sides atleast adjacent the vane bow 46.

More specifically, the selectively disposed TBC cooperates with theinternal impingement cooling of the vanes to control the vane suctionside bulk temperature and temperature distributions to reduce orminimize the thermally induced stress, strain, and distortion of thevane bow 46. The suction side TBC 48 limits heating of the vane suctionside and therefore controls the thermal expansion thereof which isgenerally matched to the thermal expansion of the uncoated pressure side38 to minimize thermally induced strain therein and distortion along thetrailing edge 36 which would otherwise adversely affect the flow area ofthe throat 50. Maintaining accurate throat area ensures maximumaerodynamic performance of the nozzle, and correspondingly preventsexcessive thrust bearing loads.

The suction side TBC maintains the temperature of the underlying parentmetal below the maximum limits thereof and reduces thermal gradientstherein to prevent premature cracking of the suction side duringextended use. And, eliminating the TBC in the leading edge regions ofthe vanes correspondingly eliminates spallation thereof.

As shown in FIG. 4, the vane bow 46 is radially convex between the outerand inner bands along the pressure side 38, and correspondingly radiallyconcave along the suction side 40 with the TBC 48 thereon. The vanestherefore have compound curvature since the pressure side 38 isgenerally concave in the axial direction, with the bow 46 being convexin the radial direction, and the suction side 40 is generally convex inthe axial direction, with the corresponding side of the bow 46 beingconcave in the radial direction.

The vane bow 46 preferably has maximum radial curvature at the trailingedge 36, and decreases in curvature toward the leading edge 34, andsmoothly blends into the radially straight portion of the vane near itsmid-chord region. The TBC 48 preferably decreases in thickness from thetrailing edge 36 toward the second throat boundary 54 near the leadingedge.

For example, the TBC 48 has a nominal maximum thickness of about 7 mils(0.18 mm), which remains substantially constant in the upstreamdirection from the trailing edge up to the location of the aftimpingement baffle and then transitions in decreasing thickness towardthe throat second boundary 54 to be completely eliminated thereat. Thisconfiguration provides maximum thermal protection of the vane over themajority of the vane bow 46. In this way, the TBC protects the suctionside of each vane primarily over the full extent of the vane bow 46.

Since thermal barrier coating has been provided on the 3D vane in thepast on the pressure side at a nominal thickness of 5 mils (0.125 mm)and on the suction sides at a nominal thickness of 10 mils (0.25 mm),the preferred reduction in nominal suction-side thickness from 10 to 7mils accommodates the elimination of thermal barrier coating on thepressure side 38 for maintaining a thermal balance between the pressureand suction sides. This is particularly significant for the bowed vaneswhich have a greater tendency for thermally induced distortion.

More specifically, FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate that the vane bow 46 isdisposed nearer the inner band 30 than the outer band 28. As best shownin FIG. 4, each of the vanes 32 twists about the leading edge 34 fromthe inner band 30 to the outer band to define in part the vane bow 46.

Each of the vanes 32 preferably also leans in the tangential orcircumferential direction along the trailing edge 36 to also define inpart the vane bow 46. The combined twisting and leaning of the vanes 32is sufficient for defining the individual bows 46.

In particular, each vane 32 may be defined by a plurality of radial orspan sections from the root 42 to the tip 44 in a conventional manner.By twisting the adjacent span sections about the leading edge 34 fromthe root to the tip of the vane, and by leaning the trailing edge 36from section to section, the vane bow 46 may be defined. Conventionalfinite element analytical software is available for designing thespecific configuration of the individual vanes for a given engineapplication, and analyzing the aerodynamic performance thereof in threedimensions. In this way, the vane bow 46 may be configured in detail toincrease momentum of the combustion gases 20 adjacent the inner band 30for effecting the 3-D aerodynamic vane and its substantial increase inaerodynamic efficiency of the high pressure turbine and the engine.

Comparing the improved 3-D bowed nozzle vanes 32 to conventional 2-Dnozzle vanes without vane bows and with substantially straight trailingedges results in significant differences in aerodynamic performancetherebetween. A typical 2-D linear nozzle vane is generally straightalong its trailing edge and is twisted thereabout to define theindividual converging channels between the vanes. For a given enginedesign, a given flowrate of the combustion gases passes through theturbine nozzles. The 3-D bowed vanes 32 effect a substantially highertotal pressure near the vane roots 42 as compared with the conventional2-D vanes which results in a significant increase in gas flow momentumin this region. Correspondingly, the 3-D vane has a substantialreduction in swirl angle of the combustion gases 20 discharged along thetrailing edge thereof as compared with the higher swirl angle from the2-D vane.

Furthermore, gas flow streamlines in the blade roots downstream of the2-D vanes are non-planar and twist over upon themselves. In contrast,the 3-D vane effects planar gas flow streamlines near the blade rootsdue to the additional radial affect of the vane bow 46 not otherwiseavailable in the 2-D design.

As a result of these differences in the structure and performance, asignificant increase in aerodynamic efficiency of the turbine nozzle andthe engine is effected by the 3-D vanes. The improved, selectiveapplication of the TBC 48 on the suction side only of the 3-D vanesmaintains the improved aerodynamic performance thereof; increases thestall margin of the compressor; eliminates the leading edge spallationproblem; and enhances durability of the nozzle vanes with acorresponding useful low-cycle fatigue life thereof.

While there have been described herein what are considered to bepreferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, othermodifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in theart from the teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to besecured in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is the invention as defined and differentiated in thefollowing claims:
 1. A turbine nozzle for channelling combustion gasesto turbine rotor blades comprising:an outer band; an inner band; aplurality of vanes extending between said outer and inner bands; each ofsaid vanes including leading and trailing edges, and pressure andsuction sides extending therebetween, and also including a bow alongsaid trailing edge to increase pressure in said gases adjacent saidinner band; and each of said vanes also including a thermal barriercoating selectively disposed solely along said suction side between saidleading and trailing edges.
 2. A nozzle according to claim 1wherein:adjacent ones of said vanes are spaced apart circumferentiallyto define a throat of minimal flow area therebetween having a firstboundary along said pressure side at said trailing edge of one of saidvanes, and a second boundary along said suction side adjacent saidleading edge of a second one of said vanes; and both said first andsecond throat boundaries are devoid of said coating.
 3. A nozzleaccording to claim 2 wherein:said vanes are hollow and includeimpingement baffles therein for channelling cooling air in impingementinside said vanes for impingement cooling both said pressure and suctionsides thereof; and said coating is sized in thickness along said suctionside to reduce differential thermal movement between said pressure andsuction sides adjacent said vane bow.
 4. A nozzle according to claim 3wherein said vane bow is radially convex between said outer and innerbands along said pressure side, and radially concave along said suctionside having said coating thereon.
 5. A nozzle according to claim 4wherein:said vane bow has maximum curvature at said trailing edge, anddecreases in curvature toward said leading edge; and said coatingdecreases in thickness from said trailing edge toward said second throatboundary.
 6. A nozzle according to claim 5 wherein said vane bow isdisposed nearer said inner band than said outer band.
 7. A nozzleaccording to claim 5 wherein each of said vanes twists about saidleading edge from said inner band to said outer band to define said bow.8. A nozzle according to claim 5 wherein each of said vanes leans alongsaid trailing edge to define said bow.
 9. A nozzle according to claim 5wherein each of said vanes twists about said leading edge from saidinner band to said outer band, and leans along said trailing edge todefine said bow.
 10. A nozzle according to claim 9 wherein said bow isconfigured to increase momentum of said combustion gases adjacent saidinner band.